Ghana’s Black Damsels have been crowned champions of the CAF African Schools Football Championship after a dramatic 9-8 penalty shootout victory over Burkina Faso in the final, sealing a historic back-to-back triumph for the U-15 girls team.

The final, played in Harare, Zimbabwe, ended level after regulation time, pushing both sides into a tense penalty shootout where Ghana held their nerve to emerge victorious. The win confirms the Black Damsels’ dominance at this level, having successfully defended their continental schools title.

Captain Christiana Ashiaku was the standout performer of the tournament, earning the Player of the Tournament award for her leadership and consistent displays throughout the competition.

Ghana’s path to glory included a narrow 1-0 semi-final win over Zambia, where Blessing Tettey scored the decisive goal in the 7th minute to send the defending champions into the final.

In the final shootout, goalkeeper Fadila Musah made a crucial save, while Mukarama Yussif confidently converted the winning penalty to secure Ghana’s triumph.

Beyond the sporting success, Ghana’s victory comes with a significant reward. The Black Damsels will benefit from the tournament’s development prize money of USD 300,000, awarded to the girls’ champions to support school and football development projects.

The CAF African Schools Football Championship, which ran from April 6 to April 10, 2026, continues to play a key role in combining education, football development, and community growth across Africa.

Final standings saw Ghana as girls’ champions, Burkina Faso as runners-up, and Zambia finishing third. In the boys’ category, Senegal claimed the title, Uganda placed second, and Benin finished third.

Ghana’s triumph once again highlights the country’s growing strength in youth women’s football and signals a bright future for the next generation of stars.

Defending champions Ghana’s Black Damsels are set for a crucial semi-final showdown against a formidable Zambia side at the CAF African Schools Football Championship Zimbabwe 2026.

The high-stakes encounter, scheduled for Thursday, April 9, will determine who advances to the grand finale on Friday, April 10, with both nations eyeing continental glory and the coveted prize for school development.

Ghana head into the clash after navigating a mixed Group B campaign. The Black Damsels opened in dominant fashion, thrashing Guinea 6-0 before securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Tanzania, with captain Christiana Ashiaku scoring in both halves. Despite a narrow 1-0 defeat to Burkina Faso in their final group game, Ghana did enough to book a place in the semi-finals.

Standing in their way is an in-form Zambia side that has impressed throughout the competition. The Southern Africans arrive unbeaten, having topped Group A with a perfect record. Zambia recorded convincing wins over Zimbabwe (3-1), Morocco (1-0), and DR Congo (3-1), underlining their strength and consistency heading into the knockout stage.

With both teams in strong form, the semi-final promises to be a fiercely contested battle. Ghana will rely on their experience as defending champions, while Zambia will look to maintain their unbeaten run and upset the title holders.

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Ghana’s U-15 girls team, the Black Damsels, have safely arrived in Harare ahead of the continental phase of the CAF African Schools Football Championship Zimbabwe 2026.

A 27-member delegation, comprising 20 players and seven officials, departed Accra on Friday, April 3, 2026, to represent the country at the prestigious youth tournament, which brings together the best U-15 school teams across Africa.

The Black Damsels head into the competition with confidence, having emerged champions in the previous edition held in Ghana, where they delivered an impressive performance on home soil.

Ghana has been drawn in a competitive Group B alongside Tanzania, Burkina Faso, and Guinea, setting up exciting encounters in the group stage.

According to the official fixtures, Ghana will open their campaign against Guinea on April 6 before taking on Tanzania later the same day.

The Black Damsels will then wrap up their group stage matches against Burkina Faso on April 7.

The tournament is scheduled to run from April 6 to April 10, 2026, at the Gateway High School in Harare, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals.

With expectations high, Ghana’s young talents will be aiming to defend their title and once again demonstrate the country’s strength in women’s football on the continental stage.

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